Q: Dr. M- I'm in the process of trying to meet local attorneys. After reading your personal injury workbook, I was just curious about the follow up phone call after sending the letter. Should my CA try to schedule me to meet the lawyers in their offices or invite them to my office? And do you have a sample script for my CA for the followup phone call. A: Marketing The Personal Injury Practice © By: Dr. Joel E. Margolies Purpose: Linking the legal community with your office Observation: There are some doctors within our profession that would rather not work with a Personal Injury case. Whether they dislike the legal profession or feel they will be playing ping pong with insurance companies is irrelevant. People within your community have collisions and there is nothing that duplicates conservative chiropractic care towards their rehabilitation and wellness. If you deny this segment of patient care within your practice you not only reduce the potential income but also the healthcare of your community and the overall purpose of chiropractic. YOU BE THE JUDGE Action Steps: Create an Attorney Marketing Farm: Determine location of community attorneys Yellow pages .. trials lawyers .. personal injury Create an attorney log (database) .. local and city wide Clients may work or live in your area Begin a phone and letter campaign Determine which attorney works with PI and paralegal Proper spelling of name .. zip code .. fax .. e-mail If receptionist asks for purpose of the call: " I am calling for Dr. Smith, a chiropractor, and we were wondering if your firm is accepting new PI clients" "Creating an attorney referral list for our patients" "Will be sending timely and resourceful newsletters" Edit the attorney log with proper names and data Mark date and what is being sent Create a timeline for call backs and further mailings Mailings Send an initial welcome letter and highlight: o Post graduate programs involving PI or rehabilitation o Certification in allied areas .. impairment ratings .. o Published articles in professional journals o Specialties you are an expert in .. diagnostic testing o Community projects involved in .. access to people o Cities surrounding your location .. enlarge draw area o Landmarks .. allowing them logistics to your office o Insurance networks .. marketing tool for no Medpay o Your open hours and bus routes for convenience o Include a number of your business cards o Second Biomechanical/Chiropractic Opinion Why send anything? o Keeps your name in their mind .. repetition works o Sharing your knowledge .. may be shared with others o Highlights your interest in working together o Reveals your knowledge for testimony "We already have a chiropractor we work with" + If the attorney or their staff mention they have a chiropractor they refer to or if you feel a local chiropractor has the whole city locked up .. remember that many of their clients may live or work near you and their clients ability to follow with a care schedule would be easier if they send them to you Follow up within the week: Call .. don¼t leave a message the first few efforts o Did they receive your initial letter o Can they be included in your referral network o Would they appreciate your PI newsletters o Get a pulse of their interest .. if not interested are there other attorneys in their firm or paralegals o If interested ask them to send a number of their cards o Do they have clients needing a second opinion different point of view .. possible extended care o Determine a time to either meet them or they you Replies: Negative lawyers may say: o That DC¼s are not as effective as MD¼s in court ask if they have used DC¼s often in the past was there one area they felt DC¼s were weak in if they have no quick reply .. forget them o We treat too long medical care is heavy in diagnosis .. tests and all chiropractic care heavy in treatment o In court chiropractors get little respect juries are full of chiropractic patients chiropractors illustrate and testify better Where you find attorneys: Near county or city courthouses o Schedule multiple meetings .. few per morning å Survey the attorney or paralegal å Ask how you can help them .. unique twist å What they like least working with a doctor å Are bills generally too high .. too low å Do they want a paper trail of patient records å What is their opinion concerning pre-existence å Question their acknowledgment of the lien Prove Your Ability and Desire To Testify Power Lunch: o Best to have them come to your office .. logistics o If not the attorney have the paralegal visit o During lunch provide them a packet of information å Loose leaf book of data å certifications and curriculum vitae å copies of articles pertaining to PI å copies of partial narratives and objective tests å illustrate impairment ratings Common attorney reaction: "you send me someone and I¼ll do the same" all you can promise is to assist their clients Attorney and/or Paralegal Soft Tissue Injury Seminars: Purpose: You are an expert in soft tissue testimony and care Accepting referrals from receptive attorneys First in mind for case entry paralegals Action Steps: o Send an introductory letter with return stamped postcard å Are they interested in a free seminar å Best day of week/time .. court early in week å Would their paralegals attend o Gather returned cards and schedule a seminar location å Hotels are best but be conscious of costs å Food/drink usually purchased from hotel å Small group may begin in your office å Check if local library has a room for lectures å Look for alternative and cheaper locations o Create workshop towards education and enlightenment å Local attorneys know little about whiplash å Paralegals know less and need to know more å Use slides .. overheads .. video å Focus on anatomy and visuals for affect å Prepare a handout with terminology å Have qualifying chiropractic questions å Survey those present .. further classes helpful o Be a local expert .. CLE credits for license renewal å Contact State Bar and ask if it is possible å Breakdown components of day with breaks å Decide which hours are technical and ethical å Get a letter of endorsement from State Bar å Send a promotional letter to law firms å Offer large firms to do seminar in their office Conclusion: Marketing includes various venues .. working with the legal profession is one portion of a marketing program. Lawyers often see PI patients before anyone else .. they need care and often they have no one to turn to. Be available and Be efficient